Flying finger toy

ABSTRACT

A flying finger toy comprising a top piece, a bottom piece, a divider; and a front piece, wherein the bottom piece is concave in shape and comprises two open ends and two curved sides, the top piece is permanently attached to the bottom piece, the divider is permanently attached to the center of the bottom piece and runs parallel to the curved sides of the bottom piece, the front piece is permanently attached to the bottom piece, and the divider creates two channels into which a child can comfortably fit two adjacent fingers. In an alternate embodiment, the top piece is releasably attached to the bottom piece so that one top piece can be replaced with another by releasing one top piece and attaching another.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the field of toys, and moreparticularly, to finger toys for children.

2. Description of the Related Art

U.S. Pat. No. 5,176,559 (Lane, 1993) discloses a toy glider that can bepropelled by a child's finger. The glider comprises a fuselage with aforce-receiving surface that is curved to facilitate reception of thedistal portion of a person's finger. The glider is not meant to be wornon the finger, however, and is limited in that it cannot be worn by achild on his or her fingers.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,413,443 (Kulesza et al., 1983) provides a toy vehicledevice that is worn on a finger, but the part of the device that is wornon the finger is shaped like a ring. This invention is limited in thatthe toy does not extend the entire length of the wearer's finger, it canonly be worn on one finger, and it is not meant to simulate a flyingobject.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,281,472 (Hill, 1981) discloses a finger toy that sits onthe distal end of the wearer's finger. This invention is limited in thatit can only be worn on one finger, the toy does not extend the entirelength of the child's finger, and the only independent claim requiresthat the toy include a propeller.

U.S. Patent Application No. 2004/0121702 (Seibert et al.) describes afinger puppet that makes sounds when the finger is tapped against a hardobject. This invention is limited in that the puppet is attached to thefinger with a ring-like device, each puppet can be worn on only onefinger, and it is not meant to simulate a flying object. This inventionis also limited in that it requires electronics to generate the sounds.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a finger toy thatsimulates a flying object, such as a rocket, spaceship, bird, bat, oreven a flying fish. It is a further object of the present invention toprovide a finger toy that can be worn on two fingers simultaneously andthat covers nearly the entire finger. It is a further object of thepresent invention to provide for interchangeable top pieces that cantransform the toy into different types of flying objects.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A flying finger toy comprising a top piece, a bottom piece, a divider,and a front piece, wherein the bottom piece is concave in shape andcomprises two open ends and two curved sides, the top piece ispermanently attached to the bottom piece, the divider is permanentlyattached to the center of the bottom piece and runs parallel to thecurved sides of the bottom piece, the front piece is permanentlyattached to the bottom piece, and the divider creates two channels intowhich a child can comfortably fit two adjacent fingers. In an alternateembodiment, the top piece is releasably attached to the bottom piece sothat one top piece can be replaced with another by releasing one toppiece and attaching another. Preferably, the length of the top piece isin the range of six (6) to ten (10) centimeters. In all of theembodiments, the bottom piece is sized so that a child can comfortablyfit two of his or her adjacent fingers within the channels created bythe divider.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention worn on a child's finger.

FIG. 3 is a side view of a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an alternative top piece.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a means for releasably attaching the toppiece to the bottom piece, showing only the top piece.

FIG. 6 is a side view of a means for releasably attaching the top pieceto the bottom piece, with the top and bottom pieces shown together.

REFERENCE NUMBERS

-   -   1 Bottom piece    -   2 Divider    -   3 a Top piece (first embodiment)    -   3 b Top piece (second embodiment)    -   4 Front piece    -   5 Ring

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention. As shown in this figure, the present invention comprises abottom piece 1 that is preferably concave in shape in relation to thetop piece 3 a. A divider 2 is attached to the center of the bottom piece1 and runs parallel to the curved sides (as opposed to the open ends) ofthe bottom piece 1. The divider 2 may be as long as the bottom piece 1or slightly shorter, as shown in FIG. 1. The divider 2 creates twochannels into which a child may fit two of his or her adjacent fingers,which will usually be the index finger and the middle finger. The bottompiece 1 is sized so that with the divider 2 in place, the toy willcomfortably fit a child's two adjacent fingers.

The top piece 3 a is attached either permanently or releasably to thebottom piece 1. If releasably attached, then the top piece 3 a can beremoved and a different top piece can be attached to the bottom piece 1.In a preferred embodiment, the top pieces are removable and can be slidon and off of the bottom piece 1. Preferably, the entire toy is made ofa rigid plastic, although the toy could be made of any sufficientlyrigid and durable material.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention worn on a child's finger. As can be seen from this figure, thebottom piece extends nearly to the third knuckle, covering most of thefinger. The goal of this invention is to allow a child to wear the toyand move it in the air to simulate flight (while making accompanyingflight sounds, as most boys do). In contrast to some of the prior art,the toy never actually leaves the child's finger until the child takesit off.

FIG. 2 also shows the front piece 4, which is attached to the bottompiece 1 and is optionally attached to the top piece 3 a. The purpose ofthe front piece is to prevent the child's fingers from extending beyondthe front of the toy. The front piece can either be a separate piece oran extension of the bottom piece. In order for the top pieces to slideon and off as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the width of the front piece 4cannot be greater than the width of the bottom piece 1.

FIG. 3 is a side view of a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention. In this embodiment, the divider 2 tapers at the end. Inaddition, the divider 2 extends beyond the bottom piece 1 and nearlytouches the front piece 4. The present invention is not limited to anyparticular length or shape of the divider 2, however, as long as itdivides the bottom piece 1 into two channels.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an alternative top piece 3 b. Asexplained above, if the top pieces 3 a, 3 b are releasably secured tothe bottom piece 1, then one top piece can be replaced with another.Alternatively, the toy can be made with different permanent top pieces.The present invention is not limited to any particular shape or size oftop piece, as long as the top piece is of a size that can be worn onone's fingers. In the preferred embodiment, the length of the top piece3 a, 3 b is in the range of six (6) to ten (10) centimeters.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a means for releasably attaching the toppiece to the bottom piece, in which only the top piece is shown. In thisembodiment, a ring 5 extends below the top piece 3 b, and the ring issized so that it will fit around the front and bottom pieces 4, 1 andslide on and off either end of the bottom piece 1. FIG. 6 is a side viewof this same means for releasably attaching the top piece to the bottompiece, showing the ring extending around the perimeter of the bottompiece 1. The present invention is not limited to any particular means ofreleasably attaching the top pieces; for example, snaps or slidingmechanisms that are molded into the bottom of the top piece and the topof the bottom piece could also be used.

Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has beenshown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the artthat many changes and modifications may be made without departing fromthe invention in its broader aspects. The appended claims are thereforeintended to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within thetrue spirit and scope of the invention.

1. A flying finger toy comprising: (a) a top piece; (b) a bottom piece;(c) a divider; and (d) a front piece; wherein the bottom piece isconcave in shape and comprises two open ends and two curved sides,wherein the top piece is permanently attached to the bottom piece,wherein the divider is permanently attached to the center of the bottompiece and runs parallel to the curved sides of the bottom piece, whereinthe front piece is permanently attached to the bottom piece, and whereinthe divider creates two channels into which a child can comfortably fittwo adjacent fingers.
 2. A flying finger toy comprising: (a) a toppiece; (b) a bottom piece; (c) a divider; and (d) a front piece; whereinthe bottom piece is concave in shape and comprises two open ends and twocurved sides, wherein the top piece is releasably attached to the bottompiece, wherein the divider is permanently attached to the center of thebottom piece and runs parallel to the curved sides of the bottom piece,wherein the front piece is permanently attached to the bottom piece,wherein the divider creates two channels into which a child cancomfortably fit two adjacent fingers, and wherein one top piece can bereplaced with another by releasing one top piece and attaching another.3. A flying finger toy comprising: (a) a top piece; (b) a bottom piece;(c) a divider; (d) a front piece; and (e) means for releasably attachingthe top piece to the bottom piece; wherein the bottom piece is concavein shape and comprises two open ends and two curved sides, wherein thetop piece is releasably attached to the bottom piece, wherein thedivider is permanently attached to the center of the bottom piece andruns parallel to the curved sides of the bottom piece, wherein the frontpiece is permanently attached to the bottom piece, wherein the dividercreates two channels into which a child can comfortably fit two adjacentfingers, and wherein one top piece can be replaced with another byreleasing one top piece and attaching another.
 4. The flying finger toyof claim 3, wherein the means for releasably attaching the top piece tothe bottom piece is a ring that extends below the top piece, and whereinthe ring is sized so that it will fit around the front and bottom piecesand slide on and off either end of the bottom piece.
 5. The flyingfinger toy of claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein the bottom piece is sized sothat a child can comfortably fit two of his or her adjacent fingerswithin the channels created by the divider.
 6. The flying finger toy ofclaims 1, 2 or 3, wherein the length of the top piece is in the range ofsix (6) to ten (10) centimeters.